The overall theme of the Duke RBL will be provision of facilities for the study of host defense and microbial pathogenesis of select agents and emerging infections with emphasis on work performed in the Region IV Regional Center of Excellence For Biodefense and Emerging Infections (RCE). The Duke RBL will provide a state-of-the-art BSL-2/BSL-3 biocontainment facility that will have research cores and laboratories to study the cell and molecular biology of select agents and emerging infections, and provide a central location that will focus the activities of investigators throughout Duke University and the region on select agent basic and translational research. Duke's prior 30-year history of having an NIH-built biocontainment facility on site (the Cancer Center Isolation Facility), coupled with Duke University as the headquarters and lead institution for the Region IV Southeast Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infections (SERCEB), are important strengths of this RBL application. Construction of the Duke RBL will ensure that a major component of the Region IV RCE will be able to meet the goals of developing vaccines, drugs and vaccines for select agents.